2000:0121 - CASTLELANDS, Cork

The site appears to have been intact prior to the development of the Ballincollig–Ballineen gas pipeline. It is located on the west side of a stream at the foot of a steep east-facing slope opening onto arable/grazing land about 1km north of Enniskeane. West of the spread and abutting it to the south is a large outcrop of natural sandstone, grey-green in colour and laid down almost vertically. The spread extends 7.5m north–south and extends west from the stream by 14.02m.

An alignment of contiguously set flat stones was exposed during the stripping process. This feature was excavated to reveal a setting of seven large flat stones running south-east/north-west across the north-western portion of the site. The stones were embedded in a layer of grey silt and small stones. Further excavation revealed that the burnt material of the fulacht fiadh underlies this whole feature. This would suggest that this feature is a field drain, which was cut into the burnt mound and later collapsed. The visible stones appear to represent the capstones covering this drain.

Further excavation through the burnt mound exposed another drain, again running from north-west to south-east. This drain was identified as a cut feature filled with grey sandy silt and small pebbles. Both of these drains seem to emanate from the area to the north-west of the site, which is marked on the OS map as the location of a spring.

A section was excavated along the southern extremity of the wayleave, close to the sandstone outcrop. This revealed the depth of the burnt mound to reach a maximum of 0.8m. Apart from the two drains, no other features were recorded.

The excavation has uncovered a very extensive spread of burnt material, indicating a substantial fulacht fiadh. Drains cut the burnt mound at a much later stage, but the primary deposit in this case represents the discarded material.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin